Helicopter Mom Drives Alex Trebek to Brink of Quitting 'Jeopardy'

Probably one of the hardest lessons kids need to learn in life is how to lose gracefully ... and that's doubly true for those kids' parents! Which is why I was shocked and dismayed by recent news (as a result of the Sony hacking scandal) that Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek has threatened to quit -- all because one helicopter mom asked him to re-shoot a segment that features her kid as a contestant.

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This behind-the-scenes story broke after hackers called Guardians of Peace leaked emails to Radar Online featuring a tense back-and-forth between Alex and the game show's producers. The gist: during a recent episode of Jeopardy! Kids, one young female contestant was $1,400 in the red by the time Final Jeopardy had rolled around. As a result, Trebek told the girl she was ineligible to participate in this final round.

The girl got upset backstage with her mother -- who was taken aback by the game show host's alleged insensitivity. She decided to email the producers asking them to re-shoot of the segment. Trebek, upon hearing this request, allegedly blew up. "If I’m making mistakes and saying things you don’t like, maybe it’s time for me to move on," he wrote back.

I, personally, hope that Alex stays -- and doesn't cave to this crazy mom's request for a second take. Because although no one likes to see little girls cry when they lose, the rules are the rules: contestants can't compete in the final round of Jeopardy! without points to wager. And kids need to learn these lessons if they want to survive out in the real world!

Bend rules for sore losers just because they're kids, and who knows what will happen next? Will all contestants have to "win" to avoid hurt feelings? If that happens, that will mean that helicopter parenting has risen to ridiculous new heights and won.

What do you think about Alex Trebek's threat to quit? Was it justified or out of line?